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Wignall Family History

Wignall Surname Meaning

English (Lancashire): habitational name from Wiggenhall (Norfolk), Wiggenholt (Sussex), Wignal, a minor place near Holmes in the parish of Croston (Lancashire). The Norfolk placename derives from the Old English personal name Wicga (genitive Wicgan; see Wigley) + Old English halh ‘nook, corner of land’.

The Sussex placename derives from the Old English personal name Wicga (genitive Wicgan) + Old English holt ‘wood, thicket’. The Lancashire placename derives from the Old English personal name Wicga + Old English h(e)alh ‘nook, corner, recess’.

Source: Dictionary of American Family Names 2nd edition, 2022


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Where is the Wignall family from?

You can see how Wignall families moved over time by selecting different census years. The Wignall family name was found in the USA, the UK, Canada, and Scotland between 1840 and 1920. The most Wignall families were found in United Kingdom in 1891. In 1891 there were 1,212 Wignall families living in Lancashire. This was about 71% of all the recorded Wignall's in United Kingdom. Lancashire had the highest population of Wignall families in 1891.
Use census records and voter lists to see where families with the Wignall surname lived. Within census records, you can often find information like name of household members, ages, birthplaces, residences, and occupations.
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What did your Wignall ancestors do for a living?

In 1939, General Labourer and Unpaid Domestic Duties were the top reported jobs for men and women in the United Kingdom named Wignall. 20% of Wignall men worked as a General Labourer and 68% of Wignall women worked as an Unpaid Domestic Duties. Some less common occupations for Americans named Wignall were Cotton Spinner and Incapacitated.

View Census Data for Wignall | Data not to scale

*We display top occupations by gender to maintain their historical accuracy during times when men and women often performed different jobs.

Top Male Occupations In 1939

  • General Labourer
    20%
  • Builders Labourer
    7%
  • Bricklayer
    7%
  • Cotton Spinner
    6%

Top Female Occupations In 1939

  • Unpaid Domestic Duties
    68%
  • Cotton Weaver
    6%
  • Unpaid Domestic
    3%
  • Incapacitated
    2%

What Wignall family records will you find?

Census Records

There are 24,000 census records available for the last name Wignall. Like a window into their day-to-day life, Wignall census records can tell you where and how your ancestors worked, their level of education, veteran status, and more.

Search UK census records for Wignall

Passenger Lists

There are 2,000 immigration records available for the last name Wignall. Passenger lists are your ticket to knowing when your ancestors arrived in the UK, and how they made the journey - from the ship name to ports of arrival and departure.

View all Wignall immigration records

Draft Cards

There are 1,000 military records available for the last name Wignall. For the veterans among your Wignall ancestors, military collections provide insights into where and when they served, and even physical descriptions.

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What is the average Wignall lifespan?

Between 1960 and 2004, in the United States, Wignall life expectancy was at its lowest point in 1960, and highest in 1999. The average life expectancy for Wignall in 1960 was 21, and 81 in 2004.

View Social Security Death Index (SSDI) for Wignall

An unusually short lifespan might indicate that your Wignall ancestors lived in harsh conditions. A short lifespan might also indicate health problems that were once prevalent in your family. The SSDI is a searchable database of more than 70 million names. You can find birthdates, death dates, addresses and more.

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